In this tutorial, we'll learn how to retouch a photo to create a subtle, realistic smile using the new addition to the Face-Aware Liquify filter , introduced in version 2020.5.
The Face Aware Liquify toolkit allows you to quickly and easily change facial expressions, turn a frowning person into a smiling one, or show more complex emotions. However, if you overdo it, you can get an unnatural result (more likely even a caricature), you should know that adding a smile is not just raising the corners of the lips up, of course, unless you want your subject to look like Heath Ledger's Joker from Batman, a smiling maniac with cold eyes.
To avoid this, it is necessary to change a number of other facial features.
In this tutorial, photographer Tigz Rice shows how to use Face Aware Liquify in Photoshop for natural-looking results.
Tigz says the key to getting realistic results is to make small adjustments slowly, in small steps, while maintaining the original, and comparing your changes to it to make sure you don't overdo it.
How to lift the corners of your lips at home. Facebook building, exercises
In essence, face building is strengthening the facial muscles through methodical training and facial exercises that affect the contour and condition of the face.
The solution to how to raise the corners of the lips without the use of expensive services of cosmetologists and plastic surgeons is hidden in a developed training system that controls age-related changes in the perioral area.
The time required to achieve the desired effect directly depends on the person’s age category, facial structure and how severely the situation is aggravated.
Methods of gymnastic exercises for the corners of the lips
- Relaxed lips close, first with the right side of the mouth, and then with the left, forming something like a “half-smile”. At the same time, trying to fix each position for 5 seconds. The duration of the exercise is 2 minutes.
- The drawn-in lips are pressed together with the teeth, the corners are pulled up, forming a smile. The position is fixed for 5 seconds, after which the muscles relax. The duration of the exercise is 5 minutes.
- Pronouncing the vowels of the alphabet 5-6 times a day, tensing and relaxing the radial muscles.
- The lips close without straining the teeth. The muscles of the corners “tied into knots”, tightly adjacent to the teeth, alternately rise and fall, maintaining tension. The duration of the exercise is 4 minutes.
- Closed lips alternately relax and tense, touching the teeth at least 20 times.
- Sending an air kiss to the reflection lifts your spirits and trains the tone of your facial muscles.
To achieve results, it is important to be patient. By doing the exercises individually or in combination 2-3 times a day, you can notice a positive effect quite quickly.
Exercises against wrinkles around the mouth
In the following exercises we train the orbicularis muscle to eradicate wrinkles:
The first thing is to apply a moisturizing cream to your face. Now, pronouncing the sound “O” with our lips, we slowly try to pull them inward: we slide the inner surface of our lips over our teeth. At the same time, we pull the skin of the nasolabial lips upward with our fingers.
We press our fingers on the nasolabial depressions, pulling the lips forward as far as possible. The jaw tends to fall.
We simultaneously pull the skin of the nasolabial lips down on both sides using sliding movements. The corners of the mouth should resist and try to “crawl” upward.
We place our fingers on the sides of the mouth and slowly stretch the skin to the sides. We move the corners of our mouth in the opposite direction, trying to gather our lips into a tube.
We place our thumbs under the upper lip. We spread our arms at an angle to the sides, the facial muscles should resist this. We try not to use the lower jaw, we lower it down. We focus the tension on the upper lip.
We press with our index fingers under the nose, and with our lips we stretch as far upward as possible.
The fingers pull the lower lip upward, the lip offers resistance.
Use your fingers to “pull” the corners of your mouth forward, and use the corners to make a return movement.
Now the lower lip resists while the palm presses down on the chin.
The fingers pull the skin above the upper lip upward, the lower lip tends in the opposite direction.
The exercises are simple, and considering their effect, they are simply magical! To perform them more accurately, watch these techniques in the video:
Excellent face building for wrinkles and sagging skin around the lips.
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"Smile"
Drooping corners of the lips are good for toning any exercise with resistance.
- We hold the skin around the mouth “in place” with our palms, and try to raise the corners of our lips into a smile.
- We place our fingers along the nasolabial lips, pressing down. We smile again through force.
- We retract our lips tightly and press them directly to our teeth. The point is to exert as much tension as possible.
- We strain our mouth as much as possible, pronouncing the sound “O”, and sharply relax.
- The tips of the fingers, standing at the corners of the lips, try to bring them together, but the lips resist with a smile.
- We draw an oval with our mouth open. Now we press our upper lip to the lower teeth, and try to smile with the corners. Repeat until a characteristic burning sensation occurs.
- Inhale through the nose, exhale through the mouth; while the lips are folded into a very dense tube.
- Again the lips are a tube, the hand holds the chin motionless. With our mouth we do something like a fish: we pull the lower jaw down, the upper jaw up. We do it for a couple of minutes.
- Finally - more difficult, “eight”. We stretch our lips into a tube and use them to write the number “8” in the air.
Revitonics
As we remember, changes in the shape of the mouth are affected by spasms of adjacent muscles. Therefore, the most effective way to lift the corners of the lips is to relax the triangular “muscle of contempt.” Exercises from the Revitonics course:
- We place our index fingers on the corners of the lips, and our thumbs on the jaw at the junction with the triangular muscles (more details in the figure).
- Gradually pull your fingers towards each other. It is important to take your time: you will feel your skin moisturize and your hands will glide freely. This means the muscles have relaxed.
- Now do the exercise for each corner of the lips separately.
Lift the corners of the lips surgically. Plastic surgery
In plastic surgery, there is a set of techniques that allow you to lift the corners of the lips that look down, improving your appearance.
Corner lifting
Corner lifting is an outpatient operation that includes excision of areas of skin and muscles located above the corners of the upper lip and extending 3-4 mm beyond the border. After which the muscles are sutured, allowing the natural lip line to be directed upward.
The surgical intervention is painless for the patient, as it is performed using anesthetics and lasts from 40 minutes to an hour and a half. Upon completion of the procedure, the operated person can leave the clinic within an hour.
The rehabilitation period lasts more than a week with strict adherence to the recommendations of the attending physician. Neglect, which will lead to the acquisition of asymmetry and defects in the operated corners of the lips, which will result in additional surgical procedures for correction.
The cost of surgical intervention to lift the corners of the lips, as a rule, depends on the severity of the cosmetic defect. You can find out the exact amount by undergoing an examination with a plastic surgeon working in the clinic.
According to plastic surgery experts, the procedure is indicated for patients in the older age category who have reached the age of 50 . During this period of time, there is a need to correct the curve of the lips.
At an early age, a noticeable postoperative scar remains on the skin. Therefore, corner lifting is used only in young people with congenital or acquired (physical injuries) defects of the oral area.
Resection of depressor muscle fibers
Resection (cutting) of the depressor muscle fibers is similar to a corner lift. Suitable for patients of different age groups, since the incision is made on the inside of the cheek under local or general anesthesia.
The duration of the operation is no more than 40 minutes. Postoperative sutures are removed on days 5-6.
The cost of the doctor’s work and additional manipulations (anesthesia, examination, etc.) is calculated individually after examination and drawing up a surgical plan.
Makeup that lifts the corners of the mouth
You can qualitatively and very quickly change the shape of your mouth using decorative cosmetics. Apply a light corrector or foundation to the skin of your lips and drooping corners. Distribute the product evenly. The most important stage is creating a new lip contour using a cosmetic pencil. Draw the correct shape of the mouth without outlining the natural corners. If desired, you can increase the size of your lips at this stage. Finish with lipstick or gloss. Properly done makeup is the easiest way to lift the corners of your lips at home. But do not forget that decorative cosmetics only mask the problem. To solve it, the most serious influences will be needed.
Lift the corners of the lips with hyaluronic acid
With the help of hyaluronic acid injections, the youth of the skin is restored, the corners of the mouth are lifted, and lips are given volume.
Hyaluron is a polysaccharide produced by the human body. Over time, acid production decreases and skin elasticity decreases. Injections provoke additional production of hyaluron, stopping the natural aging process.
How to lift the corners of your lips with hyaluronic acid
Hyaluronic injections are performed clinically and take 15-30 minutes. The result is noticeable immediately and does not require rehabilitation supervision. On average, a session lasts for six months, after which an additional injection is required as the substance is absorbed and the contours of the lips return to their previous position.
The price of lip augmentation and lip shape correction depends on the manufacturer of the drug and the volume injected. On average, you will have to pay from 15,000 rubles for a beauty injection.
Methods to lift drooping corners of lips
So, what to do if the corners of your lips are drooping. This problem can be dealt with in several ways. Which method to give preference to is up to you. But it is recommended to do complex therapy and seek advice from a cosmetologist.
- Lifting the corners of the lips with cosmetics;
- Injection methods to solve the problem;
- Bullhorn;
- Gymnastics and lip massage;
- Botox injection;
- Plastic surgery.
Lifting the corners of the lips with cosmetics
This is the easiest way to visually lift the corners of your lips. At the same time, makeup artists recommend using not too bright shades and doing it in such a way that the upper contour does not reach the edges of the lips, and painting the lower lip so that the shade covers the entire lip and, as it were, lifts it up.
You can also complement the picture with a lip pencil and preserve the integrity of the lipstick, preventing it from leaking. You can also secure the pencil by powdering its lines.
Never use matte lipsticks. Not only do they dry out the lips, but they also lay down in a thick layer, making it difficult to evenly distribute the color of the lips.
Makeup artists also recommend making a lip mask. To do this, mix honey and sugar in equal proportions. You should evenly moisten your lips with this mixture, wait until the cream is absorbed, and then apply a thin layer of semi-gloss lipstick directly on top evenly over the entire lip.
The procedure is the simplest and drooping lips are almost invisible. But this method is really a camouflage method. And so that the corners of the lips are always tightened, it is necessary to constantly paint them. The following methods allow you to lift the corners of your lips at the muscular level, without the use of “masks”.
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Injection methods to solve the problem
To make your facial expression brighter, you can use fillers if the corners of your lips are drooping. Hyaluronic acid is a natural and natural wrinkle smoother. In this case, the muscles are not paralyzed as with Botox, but the effect lasts for 6 months. Up to 1 year. You can do the injections yourself, but it is better to go to specialized institutions.
To do this, an injectable drug is injected under the skin, in the area of folds, which smooths out wrinkles and lifts the corners of the lips. This procedure is quite harmless. Since the fillers themselves are natural ingredients. But you should know that this drug may have contraindications:
- severe forms of skin diseases;
- acute diseases of internal organs;
- any types of colds that are accompanied by an increase in temperature (respiratory infections, influenza, etc.);
- intolerance to hyaluronic acid or some additional component;
- scars and scars at the site of hyaluronic acid injection;
- acute infectious diseases;
- diabetes;
- hemophilia (incoagulability of blood);
- the use of anti-aging procedures before the introduction of hyaluronic acid.
Before using fillers, you should consult with a specialist and pass all the necessary tests, otherwise the consequences can be very disastrous.
Exercises to tone your lips
This procedure will not take much time and will help normalize the tone of the lips, improving blood circulation and saturating the cells with oxygen.
- For this exercise you need to smile, but not completely, but only with the corners of your mouth. In this case, you need to make sure that the corners are pulled up and at the same time stretched to the sides. But the middle of the lips should be relaxed. Need to repeat 10 times.
- Using your fingertips (except the index finger), fix the entire area of the nasolabial area. Raise the corners of your mouth upward and resist with your fingers. At first, this exercise should be done slowly and then (every 5 times, or every 10 times) increase the pace. Do 30 passes, and after 30 times, exhale deeply.
- In the next exercise you need to connect your index and ring fingers. Then the index finger is fixed with an edge on the corner of the mouth. Stretch your smile as long as possible and use your fingers to resist. And then, with a rolling motion, move your ring finger to the middle of your lips and vice versa, do not let the corners close. This exercise must be repeated 10 times.
- Place your hands vertically on your cheeks and use your index and ring fingers to close some of the skin on the corners of your lips. Slowly raise the folds and slowly lower them. In this case, your fingers should lightly press the tissues of both lips. The exercise is repeated 10 times.
- Place your index and ring fingers on your lips. In this case, the index fingers are located near the corners of the lips, and the ring fingers are closer to the center. It is necessary to squeeze the tissue with your ring fingers so that the lips seem to turn out. The exercise should be repeated 10 times.
- This exercise can be done anywhere, as long as those around you don’t mind singing. You just need to sing the following sounds: “I”, “E”, “A”, “O”, “U”, “Y”. You need to sing with inspiration, and imagine yourself in the place of opera singers. You need to sing at least 5-6 times and do this several times a day.
Experts believe that this type of technique is effective if repeated several times a day and for several months. But you need to do these exercises regularly, without breaking the rhythm. Although experts assure that you should not expect instant results. The effect comes gradually, like in sports training.
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Botox
This is a really working method, but we should not forget that Botox can be accompanied by many side effects.
Botox is an injectable method similar to hyaluronic acid. But, unlike fillers, Botox completely paralyzes nerve endings and temporarily blocks nerve impulses. Those. you won't even feel the kisses. The use of Botox should be supervised by an experienced specialist. Otherwise, the wrong dosage can distort your face so much that later you can only act in horror films. Although, with the right and competent approach, the corners of the lips actually tighten and remain in that position for a long time.
After six months, the nerve connections are completely restored.
If you decide to lift the corners of your lips with Botox, then before the procedure itself you should:
- stop taking any medications that affect blood clotting;
- stop drinking alcohol;
- postpone physical exercise and avoid visiting fitness centers and spas.
To tighten the corners of the lips with Botox, the doctor first assesses the depth of the problem, the appearance of the tissue and determines the number of units that need to be injected under the skin. Then the skin is disinfected, and using a syringe, the required amount of Botox is injected under the skin into the desired points where it is necessary to block nerve impulses. After the procedure, the skin is again treated with an antiseptic and “cooled”.
Injections can be performed without anesthesia, but doctors take precautions and apply a local anesthetic cream before injections.
Plastic surgery
The most effective way to solve the problem. This option does not paralyze the nerve endings, and the effect lasts for many years. But, most importantly, contraindications to plastic surgery are kept to a minimum.
To do this, the muscles that pull the corners of the lips down are carefully cut and the lips are automatically raised. To do this, an incision is made from the side of the mouth so that the seam is invisible. But if the “mask of grief” is an age-related problem, then surgeons recommend a general facelift. At the same time, modern technologies make this process painless for the patient.
Surgical plastic surgery is a major breakthrough in medicine and cosmetology. The operation can significantly improve the condition of the skin without “camouflage” tricks. The effect is noticeable and does not require additional techniques.
